


and again

by vaguevibez



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Eventual Smut?, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Time Loop, Wedding, im so funny, inspired by Palm Springs, maybe? - Freeform, pov you wake up at 7am again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:22:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29668620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaguevibez/pseuds/vaguevibez
Summary: Hubert gets stuck in a time loop. On the most stressful day of his life.And of course, he has to be stuck in the time loop with Ferdinand.Stupid, sweet, wonderful, charming Ferdinand.He’s fucked.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 3
Kudos: 54





	1. Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hubert has a busy, overwhelming, great day

Hubert wakes up exactly at 7AM.

This was nothing out of the ordinary for Hubert, initially, who always woke up at the same time, despite hating mornings. He sits up quickly, slides his cloth slippers on, and begrudgingly opens the shutters to his window. The sun is bright. Too bright.

He glances down to the small table besides his bed, and sees a small piece of parchment paper. His hand picks it up delicately, as he unfolds it to see neat handwriting inscribed all over the sheet. It’s Ferdinands. He smiles.

“ _Good morning! I figured you would be tired after yesterday, so I decided to set you some reminders. Your pants are in the washroom, sorry again for spilling tea on them. Remember to tell Dorothea to warm the choir 50 minutes before performing. And, don’t forget the rings, they are in your burlap sack in the wardrobe. But most importantly, remember to bring a smile!_

 _-Ferdinand_ ”

That’s right. The wedding.

It took Hubert a little bit to fully get over Edelgard, and his devotion to her. Although he was still stuck to her, in a way, when the war started, he found himself moving on, albeit slowly. Ever since Edelgard began to chase after Byleth, Hubert realized he stood no chance, and stubbornly flushed his feelings down the toilet. His relationship with her was something unique, but it was also something he knew he needed to move on from. Byleth’s attachment to Edelgard helped this, since he knew she had someone looking out for her, who she openly did the same for. And so, they eventually decided to marry. Meaning, a wedding needed to be planned.

So, the task obviously fell to him. And Ferdinand too.

Ferdinand was a peculiar case. Hubert found him to be nothing but a pest for a very long time, claiming some rivalry with Edelgard that really, never existed. First, Hubert suspected that the small, albeit chubby Ferdinand had some crush on Edelgard. This enraged him, but he soon realized Ferdinand was more focused with competition than he was with wooing someone. Then, he realized Ferdinand had some inferiority complex, and was desperately trying to prove he was worth something. Which compared to Edelgard, of course he was a nobody.

Alas, his views changed with time. Ferdinand spoke to him more when they were in Black Eagles, always butting heads, and injecting himself into conversations he did not need to be in. He was the only person to actively criticize Hubert’s ideology, which initially pissed him off, but he eventually understood it was what he needed.

In the war, he fought with tenacity. He charged first, on his horses that he dearly cared for, swiftly taking care of the enemy time and time again. Hubert saw how it changed him, how it hardened his face and made him more quiet. He stopped boasting.

War had changed all of them, but Ferdinand’s optimism took a lot of the damage. It almost saddened Hubert, to see him less arrogant. To watch him slowly walk through the halls, to jump at a sudden voice, or noise from nearby. But, thankfully, he was still Ferdinand, who clammored on about elegance and tea.

Oh Ferdinand, and his stupid tea. His stupidly sweet, calming tea, that Hubert finally admitted was not that bad. That he eventually admitted, he looked forward to, because it meant he could squabble with this, obstinate, charming man.

And so finally, they became friends. The wedding fell to them.

The night before the wedding, Hubert found his pants a victim of Ferdinand’s great tea-spill, which the redhead caused in his tiredness. A teapot was the only real casualty, but Hubert felt his dignity perished as well. Ferdinand had laughed it off, apologizing while he handed him a towel, as if that alone would fix the issue. Maybe a long time ago it would’ve bothered Hubert, but it really didn’t anymore.

They’d met that night to discuss the final wedding plans, but after the great accident shattered the tension in the room, they had opened up to discuss how stressful weddings really were. Hubert admitted to Ferdinand that yes, it was very stressful. That he wanted to help Lady Edelgard, of course, but he wished it was an easier process. Ferdinand had watched him so intensely, agreeing with him.

So, he supposed, that was what the letter was for. Ferdinand had listened, and written down some reminders, because as the complete opposite of Hubert, Aegir was in fact, a morning person.

Hubert set the note back down, and strolled over to his wardrobe. His special suit was in its correct spot, hanging there, waiting for him. He slipped it on with ease, it had been tailored to be perfect for him, despite his discomfort with fashion.

His washroom’s door is open, and as to be expected, his pants lie on the stool, perfectly clean of any tea stains. Hubert smiles, inspecting the immaculate cleaning job that Ferdinand managed to pull off in between his busyness. It truly was amazing.

Eventually, Hubert makes it out into the hallway, passing many different maids and workers along the way, who are all in a rush in order to prepare for the wedding. He doesn’t smile at them, for that would be too offputting, but he does try to look as casual as possible, as he makes his way to Ferdinand’s chambers.

A few knocks on the door, and the redhead answers, gently opening the door, with a cup of coffee in hand. He, also, is wearing the suit he planned for the wedding, although it is much more extravagant than Hubert’s. Ruffles line the sleeves and neckpiece, giving it a sense of energy and nobility. It is also black, since it is a wedding, and not a personal event, but Hubert still thinks he will stand out.

Ferdinand beams at him, and extends the cup of coffee out, “Good morning. This is for you.”

Glancing down at the cup, Hubert can’t help but softly chuckle, “You are quite energetic. Did you drink some yourself?” He can smell the warmth from the coffee, and he takes a light sip. It’s black, just the way he likes it. Ferdinand shrugs, “No, just some tea. Though the coffee was tempting. Especially after last night.” He looks down to Hubert’s pants, “Do you like them?”

“How could I not? They are just like new.” Hubert smiles, and Ferdinand lets him into his chambers. Despite how put together he appears, the room is messy, with papers shuffled everywhere, as a side effect of the wedding plans. He spots empty cups dotted all over the room, as well as petals from flower samples. Ferdinand walks past him, picking up some papers off of the floor, “Well, I am relieved. It would be a shame for the man who will walk the bride down the aisle to not have pants.”

Hubert rolls his eyes, “Indeed. Would it be too dire to ask for you to hurry up here? We must get started on the final preparations.” Ferdinand stands up, and nods, “Yes yes, of course.” He then pauses, and turns to face Hubert, “Though, I am not the old man who slept in until 7.”

He nearly chokes on his coffee at the words “slept in.”

__________

Thankfully, the wedding goes by smoothly.

There are no assassination attempts, no objections, and no further spills. It is everything Hubert wished for. Ferdinand says it is a victory because he did not cry, not once, during the ceremony.

Dorothea’s choir performance is beautiful, and silences the entire crowd. The vows that Edelgard and Byleth give to one another read like poetry, and Hubert swore he saw Ferdinand tearing up. The crowd cheers when they kiss, and everything feels like a dream. It’s the celebration after, where Hubert finally gets to relax, and destress a little.

While the official marriage was held inside the castle, with much of the nobility of the empire attending, the reception was held in the rose garden in the back, with a much more laid back atmosphere. Byleth and Edelgard dance first, with some mages in the background creating fascinating light illusions. Hubert gets to dance with Edelgard at some point, and it is very sweet. She whispers to him, “Thank you.” at the end of their dance, which fills Hubert with so much pride that he can’t help but sit down and sigh afterwards.

Ferdinand joins him, slipping out of some governmental conversation nearby, “I certainly think that went well, don’t you think?” He gestures to the chair next to Hubert, “May I join?”

Hubert nods, “I agree. I have never seen Lady Edelgard more thrilled. It went perfectly.” Ferdinand sits down next to him, and reaches over to grab a glass of champagne, “We did a fine job, Hubert. All of that hard work paid off. In abundance.” The mage looks out over the crowd of joyous people, chatting to their heart's content. Nobody looks displeased, or angered. There seem to be no spys lurking about, according to their defense squad. For once, he is not on edge.

“Is the honeymoon all prepared?” Hubert asks, as Ferdinand quickly smiles in return, “Yes, Petra informed me they will leave at 8. Which should be anytime soon. The boats are docked and ready to go.” The champagne in his hand swirls around in the glass, “Should I bid her farewell?” He does not know why he poses this question to Ferdinand, but he gets a response anyways, “Well, I have not seen the brides in some time. It was reported they were in their chambers, so, I advise you leave them be.”

Hubert sits up, “That could be a sign of danger-“ But Ferdinand just laughs, “Caspar’s best defense squad is bodyguarding them, and they have reported they are just fine. Relax a little Hubert, but I know that is a difficult request for you.”

Glaring at Ferdinand, Hubert takes his own swig of champagne, and crosses his legs together. They both stare in silence at the crowd, as Ferdinand begins to speak. “You know, I have not felt such peace since the war. It is starting to feel like it is truly behind us.” Hubert does not respond, feeling that he should be listening, not interjecting, in this conversation. It is a skill he has learned from Ferdinand.

The prime minister rests his elbow on the table, and sighs, “For so long I wanted to be recognized for my own accomplishments, and I have been. But there is something so utterly rewarding about helping other people, without even being acknowledged for it. Did you see the look on their faces? Completely in love, and completely happy. We contributed to that, through this, and I think it is wonderful.” Vestra turns to look at Ferdinand, becoming lost in the fog of his speech.

“But I cannot help the envy I also feel.” Ferdinand mutters, as he rests his chin in his hand, “For to have someone love you like that is so…”

He trails off, and catches Hubert’s gaze. His eyes flicker with what seems to be fear, and he quickly continues, “Well, I know you cannot relate to those feelings, and you probably look down on me for having them. But it is true.”

Hubert shrugs, “Perhaps I have grown soft. I do not look down on anyone for such feelings, Ferdinand. They are a part of life. Hell, today I have seen them in full force, and cannot help but smile.” Ferdinand chortles, “Ah yes, the Hubert smile. Guaranteed approval.”

The redhead slides the last of the champagne down, and then finishes, “Maybe I read too many novels growing up, about chivalrous knights and romance and nobility. I am truly happy for them, lest my envy stop that. Maybe the war did this to me.”

He catches Hubert staring again, and flushes, “B-but, this day is not about us, Hubert.” He gives a shy smile, “It is about them. And we did a fantastic job of making their dreams come true.” Ferdinand holds out his glass, empty but full of promise, “Maybe tomorrow we can have a day to ourselves?”

Hubert smiles back, and leans his glass into Ferdinand’s. “That would be nice.”

__________

After their conversation, Hubert remembers Ferdinand’s note and pulls it out of his breast pocket. The redhead smiles, “Well, I suppose the list has been complete.”

Hubert nods, and tosses it into a nearby waste bin, “Indeed. No more need for such complicated plans.” He feels satisfied, and sets his glass down, continuing on into the night.

Ferdinand is as drunk as ever, and Hubert helps escort him back to his chambers, setting him on his bed and leaving a tall glass of water. A few of Ferdinand’s maids come to help, and ensure Hubert he will be fine for the night. And so, he leaves, shutting the door gently to ensure peace is kept.

For the rest of the evening, Hubert strolls about the parameters, ensuring that trash is collected, and everyone returns safely. Although Ferdinand told him to relax, he still had to do his duty. The gardens slowly empty out, with high nobility thanking him and the rest of the staff for their diligence throughout the night. He accepts the complements with gratitude, and notifies them that Ferdinand has stepped away for the night.

He meets with Linhardt at the end of the night, who surprisingly, is still awake, pushing some chairs in at a nearby table. Lindhart turns to him, “Ferdinand gallop away?” Hubert nods, “Yes, well, he was up long before me, so he was rather tired. A bit drunk too.” Humming, Linhardt stretches out his arms, “I see.” The taller man tenses, “Why does everyone ask me about Ferdinand’s whereabouts?”

Lindhardt laughs, “You two are rather famous, you know. The right and left hand of Edelgard.” Hubert furrows his eyebrows, “Yes, obviously. But even you, who has known us before we were in that position. You still ask.” A yawn slips through Linhardt’s lips, and he responds languidly, “Well, yes. You two are always, around each other.”

He finishes his yawn and blinks, “Why, is there a problem?” His voice is heavily lidded with intrigue. Hubert swats with his hand, “No no, I was just curious. For research. Could be a...security issue.”

Linhardt tilts his head, voice dripping with sarcasm, “Security issue.”

Hubert’s hands tighten behind his back, “Are you tired, Linhardt? Because if so, I recommend you go to bed.” He tries to glare to some extent, but it just passes through Linhardt, who looks bored of the conversation. “In fact, I am. Goodbye Hubert.” He walks away slowly, leaving Hubert alone once again.

Linhardt’s judgemental look slowly gets to him, as he repeats it over in his head. Just what did he mean? He continues to walk the premises of the garden, and remembers Ferdinand’s wistful looks at the crowd, the warm coffee in the morning. It seemed all so normal, so fitting, and yet, Linhardt’s look had suggested otherwise. What was he missing?

And then, through the hazily lit walkway of the garden, he spots a bluish glow in the distance. A hue, that definitely, shouldn’t be there, and sets off all alarms in Hubert’s brain. He tugs on the cuffs of his gloves, conjuring up a flame spell on his fingertips, preparing for any attack.

Carefully, he follows the path, approaching the blue glow with a fireball ready to throw at any mage who dares to interrupt his mostly calm night. But at the end of the path, lies a fountain, which supposedly poses no threat to his evening. Instead, Hubert notices that the water seems abnormally blue, which is what the glow was caused by. His shoes clack against the stones, as he walks up next to the fountain, surveying the area for any shadows that would be waiting to pounce.

He is met with silence.

The glow had to be coming from somewhere, and as he inspects the fountain further, he realizes there is a crystal in the center, which is emanating a glorious color. Could it be dangerous? Hubert casts a small sealing spell through his right hand, and reaches out for the stone, pushing through the water to take a hold of it. And it’s at that point that Hubert goes cold, hears a prolific ZAP, and falls into the fountain.

__________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!!!


	2. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hubert wakes up after a great day and has a not so great day. Time- 1, Hubert- 0.

He wakes up exactly at 7AM. 

This was nothing out of the ordinary for Hubert, initially, who always woke up at the same time, despite hating mornings. He sits up quickly, slides his cloth slippers on, and begrudgingly opens the shutters to his window. The sun is bright. Too bright.

And then he sees it. The note he threw out yesterday, after a grand end to a successful wedding. The note, that, hypothetically should be at the bottom of a waste bin outside of the castle. The note that stares at him, and through his confusion, mocks him. Hubert snatches it, reads the neat print once more. 

“ _ Good morning! I figured you would be tired after yesterday, so I decided to set you some reminders. Your pants are in the washroom, sorry again for spilling tea on them. Remember to tell Dorothea to warm the choir 50 minutes before performing. And, don’t forget the rings, they are in your burlap sack in the wardrobe. But most importantly, remember to bring a smile! _

_ -Ferdinand” _

...what?

Confusion was not a word that so often weaseled its way into Hubert’s mind. He was a confident, cunning individual who was always 7 steps ahead of the game. But the note, the note made absolutely no sense. 

Was it an elaborate scheme from an assassin? But, why? There were at least a thousand better ways to eliminate him, or her majesty, for that matter. Not digging up some wedding plans from the trash and getting them back into his room…

In his room…?!

Hubert bolts up, and scrambles out of his bed, scanning the room with his right arm held out stiff in front of him. He squints, jolting back and forth to aim at any possible intruders. His mouth is dry, and he gulps to try and soothe his psyche.

“COME OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND FACE ME!” The timbre of his voice is deep, and even he impresses himself with the intensity that radiates from it, so early in the morning.

Echoes can be heard from his battle cry, but nothing more. He squints, and lowers his arm a little, “I am giving you one last chance, before I call in the rest of our army to get rid of you.”

This time, the universe does in fact respond. A small clatter rings from the corner of his room, and Hubert reacts immediately. He throws a small purple malice ball at it, bracing his feet on the carpet from the force. It smacks into the wall, sending books from his tome shelf flying. And then he sees movement.

A rat, scrawny and grey, scatters from behind the bookshelf, unaffected by the tumultuous blast. Goddamnit. 

Hubert dives down towards the creature and grasps it in his cold hands. It squeaks in response. He glares at it, “WHO SENT YOU?”

The rat, shivering in his palms, does not respond. 

Instead, the door to his room opens, with a maid leering into his room. She makes eye contact with Hubert, “Uh, Sir? Is everything alright..?”

Ah yes, it would be quite hard to explain why he is clutching onto a rat. Since no mage has yet come up with a spell to turn into a beast as terrifying as a  _ rat _ .

He releases the rat quickly, sitting up on his knees, “No no, everything is fine.” The small animal runs around before disappearing behind his bed. The maid’s eyes bore into the side of his head, “Are you sure?”

Coughing into his hands, Hubert nods, “Yes, I am quite sure. Inform the Head Maid there is a rat problem in my chambers.” The young woman begins to back away slowly, “Yes sir.” But before she leaves, Hubert stops her, “I do have a question I am hoping you can help me with.” He walks over to pick up Ferdinand’s note again, “Can you tell me anything about this?”

Her eyes peruse the note, but she shakes her head, “No, I apologize sir, but I know nothing about this. Maybe ask Ferdinand himself?”

Hubert blinks a few times before answering, “Er, yes. Good idea.” The maid then bows, and finally leaves the room, leaving Hubert alone, in his ratless room. Maybe Ferdinand would understand how weird it was, and would help?

He decides to listen to the maid’s advice, and enters his washroom, again, finding the pants Ferdinand fixed. Did he leave them there last night? Hubert swore he didn’t, but, perhaps he had forgotten. The basin is a blessing, he thinks, as he splashes some cold water onto his face, trying to awaken his brain. Did he actually interrogate a rat?

__________

His trip down the hallway, to Ferdinand, is uneventful. He does note how weird it is that many servants are running around, but dismisses it as a clean up day, after yesterday. Hubert does not hesitate to knock on Ferdinand’s door, and bangs on it with some emphasis. He is a little unnerved. Just a little.

The door opens gently, and he is met with Ferdinand, who looks great, despite his drunkenness last night. His face is soft, eyes warm, as he quickly scans Hubert. He has coffee in his hand again.

“Good morning. This is for you.” The redhead extends the cup out to him, but tugs it back before Hubert can fully grab it, “And, no offense, but it looks like you need it this morning.”

Hubert frowns and grabs the cup from him, “I had a rat invasion.” Ferdinand’s eyebrows shoot up, but Hubert stops him before speaking, “Do not ask.”

He pushes past Ferdinand and looks around his room, “Is this going to be on your schedule now? Giving me coffee.” Papers are still covering every piece of furniture in his room, with petals lining the carpeting. He hadn’t cleaned it at all? “I, um, thought you would like it. After last night, you know, I thought you would need some.” Hubert turns around to see Ferdinand, standing in the same spot, but worry paints his whole face blue. 

Hubert holds out the note, “I found your note again. Did you put it back? I thought a spy had done so.” Ferdinand slowly shakes his head, “Hubert, you are far too paranoid. I left the note to remind you of our tasks for today.” 

A piece of Hubert’s brain feels like it just got electrocuted, “Today?”

Ferdinand stutters, “H-hubert. You cannot be serious. Is this why you aren’t dressed in your suit? Do not tell me you forgot about the wedding?” Now, it’s Hubert’s turn to look baffled, “Forgot about the wedding? The wedding is over, Ferdinand. Did you hit your head, or was it just all of the alcohol from last night.”

Arms crossed, Ferdinand begins to argue with him, “Alcohol? Last night? We promised not to drink because today is about  _ Edelgard _ and we swore to be there giving our best effort, for her. What on earth has gotten into you?”

Something about what Ferdinand said makes Hubert feel queasy. He remembers soft laughs and rushed confessions.

Ferdinand continues staring at him, bewildered, “I do not understand why you insist on complicating things this morning. I had thought we were on the same page.” He laughs, but it’s missing heart, “This day is not about us, Hubert. It’s about two wonderful people, getting married. And we are helping them actually get married.”

He said that before. Hubert knew it.

“ _ This day is not about us, Hubert.” _

But, it was the day after the wedding. The day, supposedly, was theirs.

“ _ Maybe tomorrow we can have a day to ourselves.” _

Hubert just stares at the carpet, wondering if this is an elaborate act of vengeance. For the many lives he had taken? For his refusal to be a kind person?

“Are you ignoring me? Von Vestra!” 

In spite of recent events, and feelings, Hubert does indeed ignore Ferdinand. He drops the note, turns around, and walks out of the room. Ferdinand is yelling at him, and he loves arguing back, but something is off. Really off.

His head hurts. His head NEVER hurts.

In the midst of his daze, he tugs on the sleeve of the first maid he sees, who happens to be one of the washmaids. Her face is alarmed as he begins to speak, “What day is it?”

She stops in her tracks, pulling the washcloths in her arms closer to her chest, “T-the 22nd Sir. Blue Sea Moon?”

Huh.

“No, you must be mistaken. Today is the 23rd.” He mutters, which only seems to unnerve her more. She stiffens, “I, um, checked the calendar. Everyone says it is the 22nd. The wedding…”

Something inside Hubert is lit on fire.

Hubert sprints back to his chambers. He rips the door back open, clammors through his room to the wardrobe, and pulls back the wooden panels to find the burlap sack at the bottom. The sounds of metal cling around from the inside. He slowly twiddles with the strings until two glamorous, small ruby rings fall into the palm of his hand. 

Turning around to face the window, Hubert notices that the elegant flower bouquets still line the sides of walkways, with several workers scurrying about. His lips are sealed together. It finally dawns on him.

Hubert is not daft, rather, he is far from it. So, although he knows of no such magic, he comes to the conclusion that he is stuck in a time loop.

__________

  
  


Eventually, his door is attacked with banging. It’s Ferdinand.

“Hubert! What is going on?! We should be working  _ now _ .”

He doesn’t answer. He has no idea what to say.

In his current state, Hubert has locked himself in his room, and made use of the scattered tomes on his floor. There has to be some way to break out of whatever curse has been put upon him. But, he’s found absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing, that mentions time manipulation. No spells, no crests, nothing. Warping technically could have some potential in the realm of time manipulation, but he doesn’t know how to speed up or slow down a warp. Especially when warping takes up so much power. 

The banging continues, “Please Hubert! At least tell me what is going on. I can help!”

Hubert buries his head into the  _ Fire Tomes  _ book he’s looking at and groans, “I assure you, you cannot, Ferdinand.” 

He hears a tired laugh from the other side of the door, “You are always so negative. How can I help without knowing the issue?”

Ferdinand is the most persistent human being on the planet. Hubert knows this. It’s usually endearing to a degree, but now it’s just annoying. He stands up and jerks the door open. Big amber eyes stare at him. He’s close.

Hubert stares back, a bit taken back from his intensity. He shifts his weight, “You just cannot help, Ferdinand. I apologize.” His words feel weak leaving his mouth.

The same, sad look from the night before, or well, Hubert’s night before, returns to Ferdinand. His lips open slowly, “I don’t-“

Despite his desperate eyes, Hubert decides he doesn’t want to deal with him, doesn’t know how. How the hell is he supposed to explain all of this? He can’t even make sense of it to himself. Ferdinand’s tight expression, his tense posture, he can’t deal with it. Maybe he’s dreaming, maybe it’s a nightmare. Maybe it really is a curse because he deserves it, somehow. 

The books told him nothing. Endless priceless tomes, told him nothing. He is debatably one of the best mages, ever, and he doesn’t know what it is. How to fix it. How to wake up.

He can’t do it. Especially with Ferdinand staring at him, waiting for some good response he can’t give him. 

“I have to go.” He blurts out, and warps, leaving behind one very confused prime minister, and several concerned maids.

__________

The grand library doesn’t help either. In his escape, he warped into the Empire’s finest collection of scholarly books, and sat down in a corner where he knew nobody would check. He was a huge political figure after all, but really wasn’t worried about assassins as he was fleeing from a wedding that he was sure already happened. 

Time is not important to him as he buries himself in book after book, searching for anything that even mentions curses and spells and whatnot. But still, he finds nothing useful.

Now, not only does he have a mess of books all over the place, but his head really hurts. And he’s tired.

He decides to leave the library, and discovers that it’s no longer morning. Instead, it’s dusk, with torches lighting the streets, and mages using hand fires to walk along the sidewalk. Was he out that late?

The palace should be closeby, if he continues walking, he will stumble across it. Hubert doesn’t feel like warping again, especially since it can cause stomach sickness if used too often. He theorizes he could do it more during the war because he was younger. Perhaps he’d aged too much.

People speak in whispers along the streets, but none seem to look at him. He prefers his privacy, and likes that he isn’t as recognizable as Edelgard. Especially since he should protect her, he needs to be more covert. Ferdinand is the opposite, he loves the attention.

Hm.

After some time, he makes it back, going in about a secret pathway near the right of the garden. The wedding decorations are being taken down, and he notices that everything matches last night, even to the placement of the trash cans. A few servants pass by him, shifting their gazes at him out of the corner of their eyes. He does not mind, he is too tired to care.

“H-Hubert?” It’s a purple blob, who approaches him. A very familiar purple blob. He rubs his eyes. Bernadetta.

He sighs, “Yes, uh, what is it?” She crosses her arms, eyes bugging out of her head, “Uh, don’t you know? Ferdinand is, like, really really mad. He covered for you, but, he looked really, mad. I haven’t seen him like that in...forever.”

Oh. The wedding. He forgot. His legs sting, “I do not want to see him. I am tired.” 

It’s not often that he catches Bernadetta giving him judgemental looks. Yet, there she was, giving him some type of death stare, straightening her back out a little, “I think you should.” 

If it really is a time loop, why should it matter? Ferdinand can’t be mad at him forever, anyways. The wedding happened and it went well. In his world. In the real world. Not in whatever hellscape he was in now. Hubert brushes off his coat, “Where is he.”

Bernadetta points behind her, over near the center of the garden. He sighs, “Thank you.”

After walking for a moment, he finds Ferdinand standing near the fountain. Odd, it isn’t blue tonight. Unfortunately for him, his feet scrape against the grass, alerting the redhead to his presence. 

He storms over to him, “I cannot believe you. I cannot believe you actually missed Edelgard’s wedding. Please, do inform me, what is wrong with you?”

Hubert watches him pace, his ears reddening while he continues to yell, “Earlier, I thought maybe you were sick. But sick does not justify whatever in Serios’ name happened. You were supposed to at least, at LEAST, walk her down the aisle. Something, mind you, I thought you were so willing to do. Up until today you had been so enthusiastic about all of this, and I thought, ‘Hey, maybe Hubert is lightening up!’. But of course not! That would be too easy!”

Ferdinand stops moving and gets in close, breaking most of Hubert’s personal space, “But then I was thinking, it does not even make sense. This cannot be Hubert. He would never do this. He cares about Edelgard, too much I say, so there is no possible way this is happening. There is no way he is doing this to us.” He pauses, and his eyebrows furrow, anger seeping off of his face, “So then, who are you?”

Hubert rolls his eyes, “It is me. I am me. As if I would ever let some spy copy me.” He feels a yawn coming on, but tries to get rid of it.

This seems to set Ferdinand off even more, “Then what is going on?!” His fists are coiled tight at his sides. It all feels so real, yet, Hubert is losing interest. Why is he here? What is he doing? All he knows is he is tired. That he’s not in the real world.

Ferdinand shakes his head, “You are going to need to write a formal apology to Edelgard and Byleth. And to all of the staff. I do not even know how you are going to fix it with them, let alone me. I do know I am not going to forgive you so easily.”

Hubert understands that Ferdinand is saying important things. That he should care, and that he normally would. But, at the end of his terrible, confusing day, he finds himself melting into the abyss, and collapsing to the ground. 

Sleep really does win in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter felt all over the place, it is symbolic of hubert in this chapter lol
> 
> but thanks for reading again! hope you are enjoying this :)!


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